British parcel carrier Evri has deployed a two legged courier robot to navigate delivery routes in Barnsley. Developed in partnership with Japanese firm Refined Robotics, the machine is the first bipedal system tested for parcel transport in Europe. The initial pilot focuses exclusively on clothing deliveries to evaluate operational performance alongside human couriers.
Traditional delivery bots rely on wheels, which struggle with curbs, steps, and broken pavement. Refined Robotics designed this bipedal machine with legs to walk over uneven ground and climb flights of stairs directly to front doors. The unit can step in and out of delivery vans without assistance, streamlining the unloading process. Operators can steer the machine remotely if an unexpected obstacle appears, though the system also functions in a fully autonomous navigation mode.
The machine walks at speeds up to 6 km/h and carries packages weighing up to 15 kg. For recipients who are away, the robot can safely leave parcels at designated drop points. Evri is restricting cargo to soft goods like clothing during this testing phase to reduce the financial risk of damaged merchandise while fine tuning the robotic balance algorithms.
Evri stated that the automated machine is designed to assist rather than replace human drivers. During the early rollout, the robot handles physically demanding repetitive tasks while human workers manage complex delivery interactions. Once the Barnsley trial concludes, Evri management will analyze worker feedback and customer satisfaction metrics before deciding whether to expand the robotic fleet to other regional hubs.
Source: evri
